China critic fears 'thousands' will vanish under new law` AsiaOne

BEIJING - Prominent Chinese activist Hu Jia, who was released from prison three months ago, said he feared "tens of thousands of people" could disappear under a proposed new law on secret detentions. Hu, a leading government critic freed from jail in June, told AFP he would continue his activism and fight for the release of jailed Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, despite official efforts to muzzle him. The 38-year-old this week publicly criticised proposed changes to Chinese law that would make it legal to detain suspects for up to six months, without charge, in secret locations away from police stations and official prisons. In cases involving national security, terrorism or major corruption, police would not be obliged to contact the family members of suspects. If the new law is approved "hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of people will disappear," Hu tol...